Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran was sentenced to one year in prison for obstruction of justice and making false statements, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The sentencing took place in federal court in Boston, where U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ordered that 11 months of Tran’s sentence will run concurrently with his current prison term, while one month will be served consecutively. Tran will also have 18 months of supervised release concurrent with his ongoing sentence.
Tran, age 50 and a resident of Fitchburg, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to the charges related to efforts to conceal a fraudulent job offer and job offer letter from his sister’s company. He was indicted alongside his sister, Tuyet T. Martin, by a federal grand jury in June 2024.
In September 2024, Tran was convicted by a federal jury for fraudulently collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and failing to report consulting and rental income on his tax returns for the years 2020 through 2022. He is currently serving an 18-month federal prison sentence stemming from those convictions.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley commented on the case: “This case is clear and simple. It is about entitlement. Entitlement to benefits Mr. Tran was not owed, entitlement to lie when confronted and entitlement to blame everyone but himself. Dean Tran did not only commit fraud; he lied, obstructed justice and tried to derail a federal investigation to protect himself. Even after being convicted, Dean Tran continued to deny responsibility for his actions,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s sentence makes one thing clear: if you think you can lie to federal agents, manipulate the system and obstruct justice – you are sorely mistaken. As we have said over and over, no one is above the law. Justice is blind to power, wealth and status.”
Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General at the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General added: “This investigation underscores our continued commitment to protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance system,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “Mr. Tran’s fraudulent receipt of pandemic unemployment benefits was compounded by false statements made to federal law enforcement during the execution of a lawful search warrant. Individuals who exploit critical benefit programs and attempt to obstruct investigations will be held accountable.”
Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge at IRS Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office stated: “Today’s sentencing of Dean Tran demonstrates that lying to federal law enforcement officers is a serious offense,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Obstruction of justice, at a minimum, prolongs an investigation and costs the American taxpayers thousands of additional dollars. In these situations, obstruction can lead to the destruction or loss of evidence, allowing guilty parties to evade justice and deprive their victims of a fair and just outcome.”
Ted E. Docks from FBI Boston Division commented: “Anyone who obstructs a federal investigation is attempting to subvert the course of justice, and when a former Massachusetts State Senator does it, that’s even more egregious,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners will always seek to hold those foolish enough to try to interfere with our cases accountable because it is a direct threat to our entire system of justice.”
The investigation revealed that during an interview conducted as part of ongoing inquiries into unemployment benefits fraud schemes—and while executing a search warrant—Tran misrepresented facts regarding a letter submitted as part of his effort to reinstate suspended benefits payments; specifically claiming that his sister authored it when she had not been its sole author and stating her signature appeared on it when he had actually signed her name.
Tuyet T. Martin pleaded guilty in January 2026 on one count related to obstruction; her sentencing is scheduled for May 13th.
U.S Attorney Foley announced today’s developments along with officials from Department Of Labor OIG (D’Esposito), IRS-CI (Demeo), FBI (Docks). Assistant U.S Attorneys John T Mulcahy Lauren Maynard Dustin Chao prosecuted this case within Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit.
